Mills gets his chanceNewest skipper is fourth without major league experience to be hired in the McLane era

Brad Mills, center, promises the Astros will get back to playing "solid, winning baseball."

While serving as Terry Francona’s bench coach in Boston, Brad Mills was known as “Sarge,” a nickname given as a testament to his booming voice and the high regard with which he was held. He wasn’t the Astros’ first choice to be their new manager, but Mills vows to take advantage of the opportunity.

With 11 years of minor league managerial experience and 11 more as a major league coach, Mills was initially beaten out by Manny Acta. But with a strong endorsement from Francona on Sunday night, Mills arrived back in Houston primed to take advantage during his third interview, and he beat out Dave Clark and former Astros skipper Phil Garner for the job.

Just in case there was any doubt that Mills’ ties to Francona were the difference, Astros owner Drayton McLane’s Freudian slip during Tuesday’s introductory news conference spoke volumes.

“We had 10 candidates, (and then) we had four candidates. Any of the four would have been a great manager for the Houston Astros,” McLane said. “But we selected Terry for his experience, his ability, his integrity, his ways to communicate.”

Actually, Francona remains manager in Boston, where as bench coach Mills helped guide the Red Sox to their first World Series title since 1918 in his and Francona’s first season there in 2004. The bench coach in 2003 with the Montreal Expos, Mills also was a coach for Francona in Philadelphia when Astros general manager Ed Wade was GM with the Phillies.

Mills, who was given a two-year Astros contract with a club option, handled many key duties as Boston’s bench coach. He ran spring training for the club and was in charge of much of the communication with players.

Ringing endorsement

“I think the key that Ed talked about is experience,” McLane said. “What separated Brad from the others that we were involved in is his experience in the minor leagues, his experience with Philadelphia, his experience particularly with Boston and the great success.

“We’ve talked constantly about being a winner, being a champion and moving forward, and being a champion is so important to us. And we feel that Brad is that person. I did not know Terry Francona well, but I had a chance to talk to him at length on Sunday. I have never seen another person give an endorsement as Terry gave to Brad.”

Mills, 52, marks the fourth of McLane’s six full-time managerial hires who didn’t have major league managing experience. Terry Collins, Larry Dierker and Cecil Cooper were the others. Jimy Williams and Garner had such experience.

Garner, who took the Astros to the 2005 World Series and is the only manager in franchise history to win a postseason series, was never brought in for a second interview with McLane. But Garner was gracious while congratulating Mills and praising the organization.

“Sure, I’m disappointed,” Garner said. “I had put my name in the hat because I felt I fit the criteria they put out there. So in the end, yeah, I’m disappointed.

“In my case, it doesn’t change my life. I’m headed to the golf course right now, and I’m going to play some golf. I would have looked forward to the challenge. That’s why I made the decision to get back into it. If it’s not to be, then it’s not to be. That’s OK.”

Last Wednesday, Mills and Acta were brought in for their second interviews with McLane. Acta was brought in for a third interview Saturday and offered a two-year contract with a club option. He balked, taking a three-year deal with a club option to manage the Cleveland Indians. But Mills had no qualms with accepting the two-year guarantee.

‘A very good opportunity’

“Manny has to do what he feels is best for him and his family,” Mills said. “I’m going to move on.

“There’s 30 of these jobs available. I have to do exactly what I think is best, and this opportunity is a very good opportunity. And I’m not talking about just to be the manager; to be involved in this organization is very special.”

Clark, who served as the Astros’ interim manager after Cooper was fired on Sept. 21, has been offered a chance to be on Mills’ staff. When asked if Clark would come in as third-base coach or bench coach, Mills said he’ll continue the dialogue.

Communication problems with the players were a major reason Cooper was fired, and Wade admitted that during the season he privately talked about a lack of communication being a way of losing the clubhouse.

On Tuesday, Wade and McLane praised Mills’ ability to communicate, and Mills vowed to deliver his message clearly.

“Everybody on the ballclub is important, and we’re going to communicate with all of them,” he said. “I think (some are) star players because of what they’ve done in the past. There are certain things that they’ve earned, and they’re right that they’ve earned them. … (But) we’re going to start (communicating with everybody) right away.”

Mills said he’ll reach out to players in the offseason and again in spring training by “talking to guys” and “learning about them and finding out what makes them tick, what’s best for the organization, what’s best for them.”

Bittersweet in Boston

As for Francona, even though he is losing his right-hand man, he couldn’t be happier for Mills.

“I’d like to congratulate Eddie and the Astros organization on getting a great, great baseball man and an even better person,” Francona said in a statement. “Brad has really earned this. He communicates well, is organized and energetic. He respects the players but holds them accountable to play the game the right way. This is bittersweet for us because Brad will be sorely missed, but our loss is an Astros gain.”